The Grandest Time
Marisa
Experience Information
Employer: Grand Valley State University Athletics
Job Title: Ticket and Merchandise Sales Supervisor
Major: Sport Management
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Grand Valley State Athletics is an amazing atmosphere to be in. The executives and staff that work within athletics try to make the best out of every situation. Working in sports can be stressful with busy weeks and long hours, but we all try to make the best out of our time and have fun while we are there. Personally, I worked with multiple departments on a day-to-day basis from marketing, sports communication, game operations, to all of the coaches. Also I worked with each step of the department from executives to the interns/workers.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
I completed anything from daily credit card reports to putting on our annual spring sale at the end of the year. I handled the money before and after every event for both Louie's Locker Room and Tickets. I stayed on top of online orders and inventory for our merchandise. I created the events within our ticketing system for the upcoming seasons. I supervised and managed ticket and merchandise sales interns at all home events.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I have gained the obvious skills that you can't learn out of a textbook; time management, organization, leadership. While being a sport management major, we spend the better half of our four years learning about what characteristics are included in being a leader, but I have learned how to apply them with the interns.
Favorite Part of the Experience
Honestly, my favorite part was getting close with my supervisor. She was on maternity leave for most of the fall semester. Her being gone for 3 months, helped me grow professionally very quickly, as I stepped up and took over communication between executives and our ticketing and merchandise staff. Once she returned, I think we gained a whole new respect for each other with trust and appreciation which is something that I will carry with me into my future.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
Honestly, it has opened a lot of doors for me. However, it also brought up a lot of questions. I gained new knowledge in what I am capable of, but it is also helping me move on to something new.